Less than 12 hours left in 2017! Has everyone accomplished what they had meant to accomplish during 2017? Have you all checked off those major items from your “to do” list?

Each year we begin with a New Year’s resolution…to begin new jobs or projects…to lose weight…to quit smoking/drinking…maybe to begin a new relationship. Though in order for some of these things to happen, you have to be able to find the opportunity or person who might help you accomplish it or hope that those already in your life can support the change in your eating or social habits or personal relationship status. It’s dependent on more than just your own dedication and will. Not to mention you having the courage to be open to change.

Each day includes people who cross our paths…people whom we might just greet with Hello and Good-bye or it might require us to take a person in as they are along with our ability to be our authentic selves. To not be afraid to reveal ourselves…emotionally, physically and sexually. So many things have to line up correctly, and then, what will we do with the opportunity that might be in our path? Will we just step over it and continue with our lives without realizing that it is there? Or will we take advantage of everything and everyone that we meet?

This is the question when you look in the mirror and swear that you will change a certain aspect of your life. Are you open to the changes that these opportunities might require of you or do you expect yourself to change without making the effort? Without being able to have the difficult conversations in order to close the doors that will allow the new ones to open? Are you each able to decide what is most important when making changes in your life? Whose feelings and emotions are most important when choosing to allow someone new into your life? Being able to have someone new who will ultimately change the dynamic of who you are? Without fearing the loss of others?

We talk about having sponsors for new projects (new diet plans or exercise programs or friends whom we might depend on for their advice). We think about who might catch us when we take that leap of faith when deciding to pursue that new relationship with a new man. Who will help us get through a cup of coffee without accompanying it with a cigarette or who will help us fill our Saturday nights previously filled with drinking binges?

And then as we change our habits and daily routines, won’t we be leaving people behind? Those whom we used to have in our lives who we’d meet for an extra dessert or drink or who we would spend time with in place of taking the time each day to exercise…what will happen to them? Will they feel left out as they continue with that bad habit you’ve chosen to break? Or that ex-boyfriend who was still lingering…the one you needed to explain to that you are now in a new relationship and from whom you now expect to respect that new relationship. Are you ready to potentially hurt his feelings…feeling as though it is the new man whose feelings mean more to you now? Let him understand that no matter what he thinks he now has for you will never be enough, since you’ve begun a new life with someone else…someone he could never hope to compete with?

I believe in clearing the air and stating for the whole world to see that this is where I am and this is where I’m going. And while I’m sorry if that leaves someone out…me no longer being that drinking or smoking partner to them…me now being someone with more self-will and ambition to move on…to better my life and choices. And while I’m not looking to change everyone, I may still be turning to those who have made the same changes in their own lives to see that it is possible. To learn what they had been forced to sacrifice and be willing to do the same. For example, you may turn to that new man in your life as you take that leap of faith when pursuing that relationship in hopes that they will catch you…never making you feel as though you have any reason to ever turn back.

I have said this before and I will say it again…there are objects in the rear view mirror that appear smaller and less important the further you travel from them. There is no reason to ever go back. Einstein said that the craziest thing in the world to do is to continue performing the same actions and expecting a different result. Every day we have the chance to try something new (new foods, new places, new projects…new people) and every thing has the potential to bring something new into our lives…even if it is just for the new experience.

So now it is almost 2018! I don’t know about you, but I have crossed quite a few things off my list for this year as I have closed many doors that had unintentionally remained open, just by default. Even just in the past week, I made sure that the world knew where I am and where I’m going and I made very clear whose feelings meant more to me than others. So sorry for still being the straight shooter that I am, but the feelings of others now mean more to me than the feelings of those whom I am being forced to leave behind.

2018 is my cross road where I am taking that leap of faith to better my life and continue to move forward. (I was never one to worry about the objects in my rear view mirror because I’ve always believed they were in the rear view mirror for a reason.) 2018 will contain as many new opportunities as 2017 did, and I plan to take advantage of each of them. Life is what you make of it and cheers to another door closing as the next one opens in my path. And cheers to everyone around me who suddenly has the courage to keep moving forward alongside me…not being afraid of change…not being afraid of bettering and making themselves the person they want to be, without forgetting what they’ve learned along the way.

One thought on “Good-bye 2017…and hello 2018!”

> Catherine posted: “Less than 12 hours left in 2017! Has everyone > accomplished what they had meant to accomplish during 2017? Have you all > checked off those major items from your “to do” list? Each year we begin > with a New Year’s resolution…to begin new jobs or projects” >